ISIS Demolishes Ancient Monastery in Syria

ISIS demolishes monastery founded more than 1,500 years ago in central Syria.

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Ben Ariel, Canada, 22/08/15 00:01

Monastery destroyed by ISIS (archive)

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The Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group has demolished a monastery founded more than 1,500 years ago in central Syria, near a town where the extremists abducted dozens of Christians earlier this month, activists said Friday, according to The Associated Press (AP).

A Christian clergyman in Damascus said ISIS also wrecked a church inside the monastery that dates back to the 5th century.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks atrocities in the Syrian conflict, also reported the destruction of the monastery, AP noted.

A resident of Qaryatain who recently fled to Damascus called on the United Nations to protect Christians in Syria, as well as ancient Christian sites. The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said militants levelled the shrine and removed the church bells.

Osama Edward, the director of the Assyrian Human Rights Network, told AP that government shelling of the area had already damaged the monastery over the past two weeks before Isis fighters destroyed it.

“Daesh continued the destruction of the monastery,” said Edward, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS. He said the monastery was founded in 432 CE.

ISIS has targeted Christians in the areas it has captured, as well as other minorities it deems to be blasphemous.